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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Fraud email example:

From: "DR JAMES COLLINS" <dr_james_collins900111@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: james_collins90011@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 18:31:23 -0600
Subject: MAIL FROM MR JAMES COLLINS URGENT REPLY

FROM THE DESK MR JAMES COLLINS

CENTRAL BANK PARKING

COURIER DEPARTMENT NIGERIA,

DEAR FRIEND

I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOWME .I AM MR JAMES COLLINS I WORK IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA,PACKAGING AND COURIER DEPARTMENT.

I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR A HONEST PERSON THROUGH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE CENTRAL BANK WHO SAID THAT I CAN CONFIDE IN YOU .I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY IN EUROPE WHICH I SHIPPED THROUGH OUR CBN ACCREDITED COURIER AGENT BUT THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS $40,000,000.00 ALL IN $100.00 BILLS, BUT THE COURIER COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS MONEY THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE .

ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS GIVE ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESS YOUR PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX, AND I HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY , YOU WILL HAVE 30% AND 70% WILL BE FOR ME .MY IDENTITY MUST NOT BE REVEALED TO ANYBODY. IF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY BY YOU ,YOU CAN CALL E-MAIL ME FOR SECURITY REASONS.OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME INCLUDING SENDING OF THE KEYS TO THE BOXES TO YOU.

NOTE:COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE STRICTLY. THROUGH E-MAIL FOR SECURITY REASONS.

YOURS FAITHFULLY.

MR JAMES COLLINS

 

 

Anti-fraud resources: